Article attaching machine



Nov. 3, 1942. M. M cANN ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1942. M. MOCANN 2,300,585

ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f ficilael 1% Cann wimeas gWL-EZQ /4,Z?M W Patented Nov. 3, 1942 ARTICLE ATTACHmG MACHINE Michael McCann, Ozone Park, N. Y., assignor to- The' Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application November 9, 1940, Serial No. 365,045

22 Claims.

' This invention relates to article attaching machines and other cyclically operated sewing machines and more particularly to improvements therein which will relieve the operator of certain operations heretofore required of her, thereby rendering the machine more convenient to operate and correspondingly increasing production.

A primary object of this invention is to provide improved and simplified 'means, which will be wholly automatic'in its operation, for lowering the article-holding clamp, and the article carried thereby, onto the work at the beginning of a sewing operation and for automatically raising the clamp at the completion of the sewing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic mechanism of this nature which will be actuated to lower the article-clamp during the initial portion of the first down-stroke of the needle and which will be actuated to raise the clamp and sever the thread simultaneously with the completion of the last stitch of an article sewing cycle.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide article sewing machines with manually operated treadle-controlled means for lowering the article-clamp onto the work after an article has been inserted therein, prior to the'initiation of the article sewing cycle, and for raising the clamp, to break the thread and permit removal of the work, at the completion of the cycle. It has been found that in an endeavor to obtain maximum production, operators of such machines, antici pating the stopping of the machine, sometimes actuate the clamp-lifting treadle and attempt to remove the work immediately the stop-motion has been tripped t stop the machine and during the formation of the last stitch which, to make, requires substantially a complete rotation of the main shaft after the stop-motion has been tripped to stopping position. This frequently results in damage t'oeither the needle or the work.

In order to prevent this premature lifting of the article-clamp it has become quite common to provide article attaching machines with interlock mechanism between the stop-motion and the clamp-lifting mechanism so that the machine must be brought to rest before the clamp may be raised. This addition of the interlock mechanism has further complicated the machine, added to the cost thereof and lessened production, as even a slight delay after each sewing operation will, in the aggregate, result in the loss of a considerable amount of time.

The above and other objects have been attained by the provision of means which automatically utilizes the last portion of the final up-stroke of the needle-bar, in a sewing cycle, to lift the work-clamp and sever the thread and which likewise uses the first portion of the initial down-stroke thereof, in a succeeding cycle, to lower the work-clamp onto the work.

This automatic means preferably comprises a spring-depressed clamp-lifting bar slidingly mounted in the machine head and connected to the article-clamp, and an abutment member carried by the clamp-lifting bar and adapted automatically to be moved into the path of reciprocationof a collar carried by the needle-bar as the needle-bar makes its final up-stroke,

whereupon the last portion of the final up-stroke of the needle-bar lifts the clamp-lifting bar in opposition to its depressing spring, and thereby lifts the article-clamp. The machine is brought to rest with both the needle-bar and the clamplifting bar elevated.

During the initial down-stroke of the needle- I bar, in the next succeeding operation, the clamplifting bar is lowered to place the article-clamp on the work, after which the abutment member on theclamp-lifting bar is automatically moved out of the path of reciprocation of the collar on the needle-bar, in which retracted position it remains until the final up-stroke of the needle-bar, as above described.

With-the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arangements of parts hereinafter set forth andillustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. I

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation of an article attaching machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l. I

Fig. 3 is a right endview'of the upper portion of the machine shown in Fig. l, with the faceplate removed. y

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective 'view of the automatic means for causing the reciprocating needlebar to raise and lower the article-clamp.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3. v

' Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a threadclamping and pull-of! device forming a part of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a"Singer class 114" button-sewing machine comprising a base standard 2, overhanging bracket-arm 3 and bracket arm head 4. The head 4 normally has secured thereto a face-plate 4 which, however, is omitted in Fig. 3. Journaled lengthwise within the arm 3 is a main or driving shaft 5, having on its rear end a fast pulley F adapted to be driven by a. suitable power belt, not shown, and a loose pulley L on which the belt runs when the machine is at rest. A stop-motion mechanism designated generally as 1 is provided for starting the machine and for bringing it to rest at the completion of a sewing operation. The specific construction of this stop-motion mechanism forms no part of the present invention and therefore detailed illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary. Sufiice it to say that it includes a lever 8 which is depressed to shift the stop-motion into running position, in which position it is held by a spring-pressed latch 9 until that latch is tripped by either one of two trip fingers H) (see Fig. 2) carried at the rear side of a rotary button-clamp actuating camdisk I The cam-disk H is secured upon a transverse shaft |2 which is journaled'in the standard 2 and driven from the main shaft 5 through a worm l3 and worm-wheel H, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

At its forward end the shaft 5 has secured thereto a crank-disk I4, the crank-pin l5 of which is connected by a link It to a collar |1 secured upon a vertically disposed needle-bar I8 slidingly mounted in bearings provided by the head 4. Thus rotation of the shaft 5 effects vertical reciprocation of the needle-bar. At its lower end the needle-bar carries an eye-pointed needle l9 which cooperates with a conventional rotary chain-stitch looper 20, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to form stitches.

Mounted upon the bed I, for endwise and sidewise movements, is a work-supporting plate P which carries a button-clamp designated generally as C. This clamp comprises a supporting bar 2| having, at one end, a down-turned portion 22 fulcrumed at f in a notch formed in a plate 23 rotation of the clamp-lifting bar 21 in the head 4, the bar has secured thereto a collar 21 having a rearwardly extending arm 21 (see Fig. 5) slidingly fitted between the side walls of a vertical groove 4 formed in the head.

The forward end of the clamp-bar 2| is nor mally held depressed, thereby to cause the button-holding jaws to rest on the work supported by the work-plate P. This depression of the work-clamp is effected by the forward end of a bowed leaf-spring 28, secured at its rear end, by a screw 29, to a block 30 carried by the workplate P.

The work-plate and the button-clamp carried thereby are given the usual lengthwise and sidewise movements from suitable cams cut in the opposite faces of the cam-disk I, through the medium of suitable' mechanism designated generall as x. This mechanism is common to Singer class 114 button-sewing machines and forms 11 part of the present invention.

As hereinbefore stated, this invention relates primaril to automatic means for raising and lowering the button-clamp. This means includes an abutment member 3| having spaced portions swingably mounted on the clamp-lifting bar 21 at opposite sides of the collar 21 clamped thereon. A coil-spring 32, surrounding the bar 21 between the upper bearing 4 and the' abutment member 3 I, normally serves to depress the clamplifting bar, the downward movement of which is limited by contact, with the head 4, of a thread pull-off actuating lever 60, later to be described, pivotally connected with a collar 64 secured upon the upper end of the bar 21.

The abutment member 3| comprises an actuating arm 35 projecting from one side thereof and an abutment finger 36 projecting from the opposite side and adapted, at certain times to be shifted into the path of movement of an abutment surface |1 provided by the collar |1 secured upon the needle-bar I8. Secured to 'and projecting upwardly from the arm 35 is a pin 31 upon which is slidingly fitted, for relative vertical movement, the flattened and perforated end 38 of a push-rod 38. This rod is slidingly mounted, at its forward end, in a bore 4 in the head 4, and at its opposite end, in a bearing 39 formed in a bracket 39 secured upon .the side of the arm 3. A coil-spring 40, surrounding the rod 38 between the head 4 and a collar 4| secured on the rod, normally urges the rod rearwardly thereby swinging the abutment member 3| on the bar 21 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 in which the abutment finger 36 is out of the path of movement of the collar H. A stop 42, on the rear end of the rod 38, is adapted to engage the side of the bracket 39 to limit the rearward movement of the rod.

Secured, at diametrically opposite points, upon the periphery of the cam-disk H (which is designed to be rotated 180 degrees for each complete button-sewing cycle) are two cam-blocks 43, each having a leading cam-edge 43 and a trailing cam-edge 43.

During the operation of the machine, and specifically during the last down-stroke of the needle-bar in a button-sewing operation, one of the cam-surfaces 43 engages the rear end of'the push-rod 38 and causes it to be moved forwardly in opposition to the spring 40. This movement of the rod swings the abutment member 3| from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown in full lines, in which the abutment finger 36 is arranged in the path of movement of the collar H on the needle-bar l8. As the needle-bar approaches its uppermost position, on its final up-stroke, the collar |1 engages the under side of the finger 35 thereby lifting the abutment member 3|, in opposition to the spring 32 which, in turn, lifts the bar 21, arm 26, and finally the button-clamp C in opposition to the leaf-spring 28. This upward movement of the button-clamp breaks the needle-thread which at that time extends from the work around the looper 20, as is Well understood. The Work may now be removed from the machine and another button placed in the button-clamp jaws for a succeeding operation.

Upon starting the machine for the next cycle of operation the initial portion of the first downward movement of the needle-bar is accompanied by a similar downward movement of the abutment member 3| the bar 21, and thebutton-clamp, to place the new button on the work.

Before the collar- H has reached the level of the shifts the rod rearwardly, thereby swinging the abutment member 5| clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, to the position shown in dotted lines in that figure. This removes the abutment finger 55 from the path of movement of the collar II on the needle-bar which may then be reciprocated, without afiecting the clamp-lifting mechanism, until the last up-stroke of. the needle-bar, as above described.

To insure that upward movement of the clamp will break the needle-thread at the last stitch in the work and not merely pull thread from the supply, means is provided to clamp the thread between the stitch-forming mechanism and the supply during the final up-stroke of the needlebar. This means, designated generally as K, comprises a lever 44, pivoted at 45 to a portion of the bracket 59. One end 44 of the lever overlies the needle-thread t passing between threadguides 45 secured upon the bracket 39 by a screw 41. The other end of the lever 44 is connected to a vertically disposed rod '48, the lower end of which passes freely through an arm 49 of a bellcrank lever 49, fulcrumed at 50 on the bracket 39. The other arm 49 of the bell-crank lever 49 carries a stud 5| adapted to be engaged by camblocks 52 secured upon the periphery of the camdisk ll, whereby the lever 49 is rocked counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, during the final down-stroke of the needle-bar. A coil-spring 53, surrounding the rod 45 and interposed between the arm 49 of the bell-crank lever 49 and a collar 54 secured upon said rod, yieldingly transmits the upward movement of the arm 49 to the rod, thereby causing the end 44* of the lever 44 to clamp the thread between said end 44 and the head of the screw 41. This clamping of the thread prevents pulling of thread from the supply and insures that lifting of the button-clamp will sever the threadbeneath the work. During the first down-stroke of the needle-bar the camblock 52 rides from beneath the stud 5| thereby opening the thread-clamp and releasing the thread. Also to facilitate breaking of the thread by upward movement of the clamp, slack in the thread, between the needle and the thread-clamp K is taken up by upward movement of a thread pull-back finger carried by the lever 55 and movable adjacent a fixed thread-guide II secured connected, at 58, to the lever is a vertically disposed rod 59 later to be referred to.

A lever 50, hereinbefore mentioned, is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a shoulder screw 5| threaded into'a bracket 52 secured upon the arm 3. The forward end of this lever is pivotally connected, at'53, to the collar 54 secured upon the upper end of the clamp-lifting bar 21 so that endwise movement of that bar effects os cillation of the lever.- The rear half 55* of the lever 50 is curved outwardly around the threadclamp actuating rod 48 and the thread pull-off lever 55 and has, in its free end, an aperture su through which passes therod 5a. A coilspring 55 surrounds the rod 59 between the under side of the lever 55 and a collar 55 secured to the rod. Thus, during lifting of the buttonclamp, downward movement of the rear end 55- of the lever 50 transmits, through the spring, 55 and rod 59, retracting movements in the thread pull-off lever 55 and pull-off finger 55. This movement is effected during the, time that the thread-clamp K is closed to grip the thread and thereforethread is pulled from the supply for the formation of the first stitch in the next succeeding cycle.

From th foregoing it will be apparent that this invention has provided, in an article attaching machine, simplified means actuated by the movement of the reciprocatory needle-(bar for lowering the article-carrying clamp onto the work during the initial downward movement of the needle-bar and for raising the clamp during the final up-stroke thereof for severing the thread and permitting removal of the work from the machine. I

While this invention has been shown and described as embodied in a buttonsewing machine, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such machines but is equally adaptable to other types of cyclically operated sewing machines such for example as tacking machines and machines adapted to attach snap-fasteners, labels or similar-articles held in a work-clamp.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

' 1. In an article-attaching machine having stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar and an article-holding clamp,

the improvement which comprises the provision of means actuated by the needle-bar, during one.

cating needle-bar and an article-holding clamp, the improvement which comprises the provision of means actuated by the needle-lbar, during one only of a predetermined plurality of upward movements thereof for lifting 'said article-holdmg clamp and during one only of a predeter-- mined plurality of downward movements thereof for lowering said clamp.

3. In an article-attaching machine having a head, stitch-forming mechanism including'a' reciprocating needle-bar mounted in said head, a

' member carried by said needle-bar, a pivotally mounted article-holding clamp, and a clamplifting bar mounted -in said head, the improvement which comprises the provision of an abutment member rotatably but nontranslatably secured upon said clamp-lifting bar, and means actuated in timed relation with said needle-bar to place-said abutment member in the path of movement of the member on said needle-bar thereby to cause a predetermined upward movement of the needle-bar to effect lifting of said clamp.

4. In an article-attaching machine having a head, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatingneedle-bar mounted in said head, an abutment surface carried by said needle-bar, a pivotally mounted article-holding clamp, and a clamp-lifting bar mountedein said head, the improvement which comprises the provision ofan abutmentmember rotatably but noh-translatalbly secured upon said clamp-lifting bar, and camactuated means operated in timed relation with the reciprocation of said needle-bar to place said abutment member in the path of movement of said abutment surface to cause a predetermined upward movement of said needle-bar to eflect lifting of said clamp.

5. In a cyclically operated sewing machine having a head, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, a work-holding clamp, and a clamp-lifting bar slidingly mounted in said head and operatively connected to said clamp, the improvement which comprises the provision of a member secured upon said clamplifting bar and automatic means for placing a portion of said member in the path of movement of a portion of said needle-bar during the final upward movement of said needle-bar thereby to cause the upward movement of said needle-bar to effect raising of said clamp.

6. In an article-attaching machine having a head, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, an article-holding clamp, and a clamp-1ifting bar slidingly mounted in said head and operatively connected to said clamp, the improvement which comprises the provision of means actuated by a predetermined upward movement of the needle-bar for operatively connecting said needle-bar with said clamp-lifting bar thereby to effect the lifting of said clamp by said needle-bar.

7. A button sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, a loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a work-support, a buttoneclamp adapted to hold a button adjacent a work-piece located on said work-support, and means actuated by said needle-bar for raising said button-clamp thereby to sever the thread extending from said workpiece to said loop-taker.

8. A button sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, a rotary chain-stitch loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a work-support, a button-clamp pivotally mounted above said work-support and adapted to hold a button adjacent a work-piece located on said work-support, and means actuated by said needle-bar after a predetermined number of reciprocations thereof for raising said button-clamp thereby to sever the thread extending from said work-piece to said loop-taker.

9. A cyclically operated button sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, a loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a work-support, a pivotally mounted button-clamp adapted to hold a button adjacent a work-piece located on said work-support, spring means normally depressing one end of said button-clamp to place the button carried thereby on said work-piece, and means actuated by said needle-bar in its final upward movement in a sewing cycle for raising said button-clamp in opposition to said spring means.

10. A button sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a recipro-v mechanism actuated thereby for effecting relative lateral movement between said clamp and said needle, a clamp-lifting bar operatively connected to said clamp, an abutment member rotatabl'y but nontranslatably mounted on said clamp-lifting bar, and means actuated by said cam for shifting said abutment member into the path of movement of said needle-bar thereby to cause said needle-bar to lift said clamp and thereby sever the thread extending from the work-piece to said loop-taker.

11. A button sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, a loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a work-support, a buttonclamp adapted to hold a button adjacent a workpiece located on said work-support, a clamp-lifting bar operatively connected to said buttonclamp, means including an abutment member rotatably but non-translatably carried by said clamp-lifting bar for operatively connecting together said needle-bar and said clamp-lifting lever thereby to cause upward movement of said needle-bar to efiect raising of said button-clamp, and means including a rotary cam and a pushrod actuated thereby and operatively connected to said abutment to cause the latter to eflect connection between said needle-bar and clamp-lifting bar.

12. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, including a reciprocating needle-bar, a work-support and an articleholding clamp adapted to hold an article above a work-piece located on said work-support; means controlled by the initial down-stroke of said needle-bar in a stitching cycle for positioning said article-holding clamp on said work-piece, and means actuated by said needle-bar in its final upward movement in said stitching cycle to raise said clamp from said work-support.

13. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, including a reciprocating needle-bar, a work-support and an articleholding clamp adapted to hold an article above a work-piece located on said work-support; means controlled by the initial down-stroke of said needle-bar in a stitching cycle for positioning said article-holding clamp on said work-piece.

14. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, including a reciprocating needle-bar, a work-support and an articleholding clamp adapted to hold anarticle above a work-piece located on said work-support; means actuated by said needle-bar in its final upward movement in said stitching cycle to raise said clamp from said work-support.

15. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, the combination with a reciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, a work-support, an article-holding clamp adapted to hold an article above a work-piece located on said work-support, and a cam and means actuated thereby for effecting relative lateral movements between said needle and said clamp; of means controlled by the initial downstroke of said needle-bar in a stitching cycle for positioning said article-holding clamp on said work-piece, and means actuated by said needlebar in its final upward movement in said stitching cycle to raise said clamp from said worksupport.

16. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, the combination with a reciprocating needle-bar, a thread-carrying needle carried by said needle-bar, a loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a work-support, and an article-holding clamp adapted to hold an article above a workpiece located on said work-support; of means controlled by the initial down-stroke of said needle-bar in a stitching cycle for positioning said article-holding clamp on said Work-piece, means actuated by said needle-bar in its final upward movement in said stitching cycle to raise said clamp from said work-support, and means actuated by said clamp-raising means to pull off thread from the thread-supply for use in tlze making of the initial stitch in the next succeeding cycle of operation.

1'7. In an article-attaching machine, adapted to operate through a predetermined cycle and then to be brought to rest, including a reciprocating needle-bar, a thread-carrying needle carried thereby, a loop-taker cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, a threadtension adapted to operate on a thread extending from a thread-supply to said needle, a worksupport, and an article-holding clamp adapted to hold an article above a work-piece located on said work-support; means controlled by the initial down-stroke of said needle-bar in a stitching cycle for positioning said article-holding clamp on said work-piece, means actuated by said needle-bar in its final upward movement in said stitching cycle to raise said clamp from said work-support, a thread-clamp located intermediate said tension and said needle and actuated during the final up-stroke of said needle-bar for clamping the thread, and means located intermediate said thread-cla-mp and said tension and actuated by said clamp-raising means for pulling thread through said tension for use in the formation of the first stitch in a next succeeding cycle of operation.

18. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including an endwise reciprocatory needle-bar, a work-clamp, feeding mechanism for relatively laterally moving the stitch-forming meclra sin and work-clamp to locate the stitches in a desired pattern or arrangement, a stop-motion device to bring the sticth-forming mechanism to rest at the completion of a sewing cycle of operations, and a clamp-lifting bar paralleling the needle-bar, the improvement which consists in the provision on one of said bars of a latch movable into position for engagement with an abutment on the other of said bars, and mechanism controlled by a cycle-cam of the machine for so moving said lat'ch at a predetermined time in the sewing cycle of operations to automatically efiect the lifting of the work-clamp by endwise movement of the needle-bar.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination with a needle-bar, a Work-clamp, and a stop-motion device constructed and arranged to bring the machine to rest at the completion of a predetermined stitching cycle, of clamp-lifting means actuated by the needle-bar only at the completion of a sewing cycle.

20. In a sewing machine, the combination with a needle-bar, a work-clamp, and a stop-motiondevice constructed and arranged to bring the machine to rest at the completion of a predetermined stitching cycle, of mechanism for effecting the automatic lifting of said work-clamp by said needle-bar only in the last up-stroke of the latter before coming to rest at the end of the stitching cycle.

21. A sewing machine having a needle-bar, a work-clamp, a stop-motion device, and means operating in a predetermined timed relation with the stop-motion device to couple said needle-bar to said work-clamp for the automatic lifting of the latter as the machine comes to rest.

22. A sewing machine having a main shaft, a needle-bar actuated thereby, a work-clamp, a stop-motion device for said main shaft, stopmotion controlling means to effect stoppage of the main shaft with the needle-bar raised, clamp-lifting means normally disconnected from the needle-bar, and automatic means to connect the clamp-lifting means with the needle-bar at a predetermined time to effect lifting of the work-clamp inthe final up-stroke oi the needlebar.

MICHAEL McCANN. 

